Roland Cutinho
West Ham United are preparing a bid for Odilon Kossounou as Manchester United star Harry Maguire’s deal stalls
According to the Sun, West Ham United are lining up a fresh bid for Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Odilon Kossounou amid concerns regarding Manchester United star Harry Maguire’s transfer.
There is no doubt that several key signings have been made under the leadership of United manager Erik ten Hag this summer.
Notably, there has been a change in the captaincy, with Maguire being replaced by Bruno Fernandes, who will take on the role for the upcoming season.
At one point, the English defender’s future with Man United appeared uncertain, and it seemed likely that his turbulent period with the club might come to an end following West Ham’s acceptance of a £30 million offer for the centre-back.
Nevertheless, as revealed by The Sun, the chances of Maguire’s move to the London Stadium have gone down due to a delay in negotiations regarding personal terms.
Following United’s qualification for the Champions League, Maguire is receiving a substantial salary at Old Trafford, thanks to the considerable bonuses given to the first-team players as part of their existing contracts.
While West Ham’s manager, David Moyes, greatly admires the 30-year-old defender, he won’t indefinitely wait for the player, especially now that the new Premier League season has started.
The former Leicester City star’s reluctance to finalise personal terms has forced the Hammers to explore other possibilities, aiming to swiftly secure a deal.
Leverkusen’s Kossounou has emerged as a potential replacement for Maguire. Aged 22, the Ivorian offers a significantly younger alternative compared to the former United captain.
Moreover, it seems that the German side might be open to permitting Kossounou’s departure through an initial loan arrangement, with an obligation for West Ham to buy the player in 2024.
As things stand, the final choice remains in Maguire’s hands, but he must reach a decision quickly regarding whether he will join London or remain at Man United to fight for his position.
Under Ten Hag’s management, Maguire’s role has been drastically reduced, and he is currently a fifth-choice centre-back at the club.
With a European Championship on the horizon at the end of next season, it’s highly probable that Maguire will be motivated to accumulate more playing time. This is more likely to be achieved at West Ham than it is at United.
Despite all this fuss, he is set to be available for their Premier League kickoff against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford on Monday.
But he won’t achieve anything positive by staying on the sidelines, as it is expected that the Dutch boss will prefer to play Raphael Varane alongside Lisandro Martinez as the main centre-back pairing.
It’s time for Maguire to accept the current situation and try to squeeze something positive from West Ham’s recent interest in him.
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A move to the London Stadium will not only provide him with more game time but will also strengthen his chances of securing a spot on the national team.
Everything rests on the player’s hand, and the more he delays, the more doors will be shut on him.
